This invention relates generally to the field of fasteners and more specifically to a pivot fastener construction useful in coupling a first part to a second part while permitting relative rotation therebetween.
The use of fasteners, hinges and joints which permit pivotal movement is well known. The present invention relates to a pivot fastener useful for coupling two objects, such as multi-piece, knock down type (K-D) furniture assemblies or the like. In the past, K-D fasteners tended to separate easily when they were subjected to sufficient lateral force. Another tendency of past K-D fasteners has been that they frequently suffer from "sloppiness", i.e., motion of the coupled objects transverse to the axis of the fastener joining them and which results in the fastener suffering uneven and undue wear when it is subjected to stress.
A principal challenge confronted and met in this invention has been to develop a blind pivot fastener that will not unwantingly separate when subjected to normal forces and conditions and which will minimize the problems of uneven and undue wear associated with sloppiness.